Saturday, 21 March 2009

One more week left in Sydney then it's back to grey old Glasgow :( Spent the morning on Bondi beach,probably the most famous Aussie beach in the world and discovered a new obsession - checking out other girls bodies.Does anyone else do this? Not in a pervy way,of course,but I just mean admiring and imagining what it would be like to have that flat stomach,those lovely thighs,her peachy and perky bum.I know it's an unwritten rule to not compare ones self with other women as we all have different shapes,builds,where we carry our weight etc.,but I've found myself constantly admiring and imagining myself with the bodies I see on the beach.

I am sooooooo damn determined that I will be able to strut down the beach in a bikini and also be able to run the length of Bondi on the soft sand bit.I was watching all these healthy,uber fit men and women running up and down the soft sand bit and that gave me another goal and motivation.The list keeps growing! And by the way,this was all at 8:30 in the morning - Sunday morning I might add.I was up so early as I had a breakfast with friends,not because I am a sunday morning fitness angel........but I will be!

So,that brings me to this interesting article on weight loss I found in a Sydney paper.Hopefully the copyright demons won't chase after me as I found this really helpful and will print it out and pop it on my wall somewhere..................

10 TOP TIPS TO SLIMMING SUCCESS

1. KNOW YOUR OUTCOME.

What do you want?

*To be fit and healthy,slim,but still keep my boobs and have a peachy bum.

*To be able to run around my local park - the entire jogging path,including heartbreak hill,and not need to use my asthma inhaler.

*Challenge my other half to a race...........and kick his ass!!!!! :D To be able to swim a half hour session without needing my Ventolin or take a break.

*To make wiser decisions when eating out,but not be fanatical and obsessive about every bite that goes into my mouth.

*Still enjoy baking without inhaling the whole cake or batch of cookies/cupcakes etc.

* TO BE HAPPY WITH MYSELF!!!!!!!!!!

What is your final moment of success?

*Fitting into size 12 (I was aiming for 14,but why not set the challenge a little higher and see what happens) comfortably.

*Jogging around the parks entirety and swim half an hour without needing my Ventolin.

*Being able to run on the soft sand,the entire length of Bondi Beach,without feeling as if I am going to throw up,pass out and collapse in front of everyone,especially the hunk - o - spunk Bondi lifesavers (spunk means something different here BTW - good looking,gorgeous)

2. LIST YOUR REASONS

WHY do you want this?......

* It is not healthy for me to be this weight and size (18 stone,nearly 19/119kg's.Size 22-24)

* I am asthmatic

* I deserve to be beautiful,while I don't equate this necessarily to being slim,i do want to be healthy and glowing from all my new found energy instead of being red in the face and constantly swigging at my Ventolin.

* I want to wear my pretty vintage dresses and be able to saunter in heels without discomfort because I am too heavy.

* I want to be able to shop in 'normal' shops and buy nice,fashionable clothes off the rack.

* I want to look back at photos and smile and feel good about myself.

* I'll be 30 next year!!!!!!

What will it do for you?

* I will feel confident and happy about myself and when someone tells me I am beautiful.........I will actually believe it!

What is important to you about achieving this goal?

* To feel worthy and happy and confident,instead of feeling like a fat blob or a beached whale when I am laying on the beach.

*To be healthy and have my asthma under control,and to be able to achieve all the things I listed above.

3. WRITE YOUR GOAL DOWN.

State it in the positive and as if you have already achieved it.

I now weigh a trim,slim,energetic 80 kg/12.5 stone.I am a size 12 - 14.I can jog and swim without needing my Ventolin and have achieved everything I have listed.

* I will aim to walk at least 1/2 an hour around the park or on my treadmill each day,and try to swim at least 2 times per week.(Keep chanting that mantra!)

* I will plan my meals and try at least 2 new recipes each week.

* I will ask myself if it's physical hunger or emotional hunger when I get cravings for unhealthy foods.

* I will enlist the support.motivation,encouragement and at times kick's up the bum from my angel of an OH (who is already very encouraging and supportive and makes me feel beautiful anyways......I know,bring out the violins.LOL!How very hallmark card of me.) and my sister and friends and workmates and clients.

Phew,that's quite long.I often forget that other people read this and it's not just a place for my ramblings.I will write up the next 5 tips in the next few days and the tips in a condensed form without my twitterings in case anyone else finds it useful and wants to print one up.

Hope everyone else is on track.And recipes will re-commence when I get back to Glasgow,and Shanna,I promise to put up pics of the dresses when I'm back in Glasgow too.

Monday, 16 March 2009

Yes,there is nothing like spending a month in Sydney to kick a girls ass into motivation mode.EVERYONE here is so healthy! There are hardly any obese people here - seriously!All my friends and family are slim,healthy,(naturally) tanned and fit and gorgeous.Not everyone is a skinny minnie size zero,far from it,but they just LOOK so healthy and fit.I just feel like a fat blob next to them.

Especially after spending a weekend with my bestest mate,who is a natural size 8 - 10.Now let me tell you,the girl EATS.Like a horse in fact,but she's just blessed with a great metabolism.And she's gorgeous and funny and such a lovely person.The injustice of it all! Lol!

Now she would never,ever make me feel bad about myself......far from it,in fact she is so encouraging and focuses on my positives and is constantly telling me how gorgeous and fab (everyone needs a friend like this) I am and how I WILL do this,as I am determined,without ever being condescending and making me feel like a massive lard @ss.I hope everyone has friends as encouraging as this :D

The problem lies with me and my body issues,I just felt so fat and insecure next to her.No fault of hers.It was just that she was able to fit into cute wee shorts and skirts and lovely little summery halterneck tops.While I was wearing large,loose shirts and wide leg trousers in an attempt to look slimmer than I am.

But,not to worry,I am using this all as a positive,and turning it into motivation.Hopefully when I come back in 13 months to celebrate my 30th,I shall be strutting proudly down the beach in a gorgeous Bettie Page style bikini,or my gorgeous vintage style heels (I am simply to heavy to walk in them painlessly) and one of my 10 (yes,10!) 1950's style summer dresses I bought in a size 14,in order to motivate myself into losing these d@mn pounds,instead of worrying that Greenpeace will call in the rainbow warrior to rescue me from the beach after mistaking me for a beached whale!

And yes,while I haven't been pointing and tracking,I do find that I am subconsciously choosing healthier options and snacking on all the absolutely juicy and divine fruits on offer here.

Monday, 9 March 2009

Well,I haven't been on for a wee while coz I've been busy preparing and am now back home in Sydney,Australia :D

I'm only here for a month,so I am not religiously tracking and pointing things,because,quite frankly,the quality and price of fresh fruit,veg and food is general in Scotland is shite and absolutely extortionate! Whereas over here,the food and fresh fruit and veg is absolutely DIVINE and cheap!!!! Yesterday I got 3 big bags of huge and lusciously sweet and juicy nectarines,peaches and kiwi fruits,and it came to a grand total of 4.50 pounds (no pound sign on this Aussie computer)

Sooooo,basically I want to just enjoy myself and eat as much fruit and good food as I want,coz I'm back in Scotland for at least a year,and it's back to watery apples and pears :( Also,I haven't been home for 5 YEARS!!!!!!) As you can imagine,there are a million and one friend who want to catch up with me for home cooked dinners and socialising at restaurants,and I don't want to be conscious of points and fat content etc. when I've not seen these people for 5 years.

But,I am proud to say,that I have not eaten many bad things or made too many bad choices since I;ve been here,simply because it's wayyyyyy too hot to eat anything greasy,chocolatey,gooily sticky and sweet.No wonder I put on 4 1/2 stone since moving over to Scotland!

And can I just say,there is NOTHING like the site of gorgeous beach bronzed and buff bikini beach bodies to kick a girls ass into getting into shape and shifting some flab! I also found some old photos and old clothes I left at my parents...........and I was slim!!!!!! A size 14!!!!!!!! And to think I used to beat myself up about that and think I was fat!!!!!!

Anyways,the goal still is to be that size by my 30th,which is 14 months away.I can do this and will get serious when I get back to Glasgow.......coupled with the fact that my much slimmer sister is coming back with me,I'm sure I'll be motivated and in the right frame of mind.Next time I come to Sydney I want to strut down the beach in my swimmers with confidence and pride........Hell,maybe even in a bikini!!!!!